Package banding tool



April 6, 1937.

`H. c. PORTER PACKAGE BANDING TOOL Filed Aug. 18,` 1932 jukll i Wlu E umApril 6, 1937. H, C, PQRTER 2,076,276

PACKAGE BANDING TOOL Patented Apr. 6, 1937 PATENT OFFICE l, r y2,076,276 p PACKAGE BANDING rroor.

Howard C. Porter, to Signode Steel La Grange Park, Ill., assignorStrapping Company, Chicago,

Ill., a corporationrof Delaware Application August 18,1932, Serial No.629,273

i 5 Claims.

My invention relates to package banding tools such as are employed totension or stretch a flexible metallic binder looped about a package orgroup of packages and thenjoinoverlapping 5 portions of the binder torender the loop permanent. lSuch tensioned binders are extensively usedto secure or reinforce packages and groups of packages. f

In such banding of packages there is often a free end of binder materialbeyond the joint, which end may project far enough to be objectionableand dangerous, making it desirable or necessary to remove some of theexcess. And when the binders are taken from indeterminate lengths ofmaterial, such as from a coil or reel, instead of being supplied inapproximately proper lengths, it is, of course, necessary sever thebinder between the loop and the supply. In order to eliminate waste andobjectionable projecting ends the severing should be close to the joint.i

Heretofore it has been the separate cutter or, and more often, kink theprotruding end of the binder until the same is broken beyond the joint.The use of a separate cutter consumes time and requires the operator tokeep track of an additional tool.

Where-the joints are made with the use of sleeves or seals, such forexample as set` forth in Flora Patent No. 1,252,680 granted Jan. 8, 1918or Leslie Patent No. 1,445,330, granted February 13, 1923, andparticularly if the binder is -relatively hard and brittle the bendingor kinking method is fairly satisfactory, the seal serving D as anabutment to locate the line of break close to the joint and tofacilitate breakage by inpractice to use a suring a sharp bend Aor kink.Where, however,y

joints are made without seals or if seals are employed and the binder isrelatively soft then 40 the proper and ready severing of the free endsof the binder becomes more diflicult. It may be necessary to bend orkink the binder back `and forth many times before it is broken and thebreak, even when iinally accomplished, may be a undesirably far from thejoint so as to leave an objectionably long' projection. And, in anyevent, the manual effort and time consumed are considerable and therough edges oi` the broken ends of the binders are often troublesome.

One of the objects of vide a combined tensioning or stretching and jointforming or matlcally'insure the severing of the binder at the properplace.'regardless of whether or not a forming the joint or the binder orsoft and tough.

to provide a tool which VWill and material in the binding seal is usedin is hard and brittle Anotherobject is save time, and eifort ofpackages. v-

ject is to provide a tool which will 6o Another o `to bend or` myinvention is to prosealing toolwhich will autoeliminate the rough sharpedges at the severed ends of the binder.`

Another object is to provide a binder scoring or partial cuttingattachment for combined stretching and sealing tools.

I Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear. i

An embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a combined stretchingand sealing tool including a binder scoring or partial severing'qdeviceof my invention,

Fig. 2 is a partial iront elevation of the tool with the scoring devicein normal position,

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the scoring device in position uponcompletion of its work,

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig, 3,

Fig. 6 is anenlarged vertical section of part of the tool, showingparticularly the operation of `the tensioning mechanis and i Fig. 7 is atop plan of the mid portion of the tool to show the `details of one typeof detachable `clutch that may be employedto permit a single actuatinghandle selectively to operate the tensioning mechanism or the sealingand scoring mechanisms.

The package banding tool in which my present invention has been embodiedis, in general, of `the type set forth in Kool and Van Duyn Patent No.1,778,530, granted October 14, 1930, and my copending application,Serial No. 599,694, led March 18, 1932 (Patent No. 1,905,052 grantedApril 25, 1933). It includes a frame 5 having a pair of supports or feet6 and 'l which are adapted to rest upon the surface of a package, asshown in Fig. 1. Forward foot 1 is connected to the frame along only oneside (the rear side as viewed in Fig. 1) sothat the front side`of thetool is open in order that the binder 8 may be inserted laterally topass thereover and rest thereon, as shown clearly in Fig. Foot 1 is`provided wlthan opening for receivingthe tips of the seal forming jawsand enable them to embrace and work upon the overlapped strap portions,as will be hereinafter described. The forward wall I of the foot 1`serves as ananvil for the binder scoring mechanism, as will be presentlyexplained.

Frame is bifurcated and provides `spaced journals for an eccentric shaftIl. which shaft carries a pair of parallelfeed wheels l2 rotatablymounted thereon. A grip control handle I3 rigidly mounted on shaft ll torotate the same serves to move thefeed wheels toward and from foot 1.Shaft ll also supports and journals an oscillating frame i4 whichcarries 1 a spring pressed actuating pawl m engageable with a ratchetwheel b rigidly secured to feed wheels I2. Reverse rotation of the feedwheels is prevented by a spring pressed holding pawl c which ispivotally mounted on the frame and engages the ratchet wheel. Thesedetails are not shown in greater detail because they form no part of thepresent invention; they are illustrated and explained in detail in myaforesaid application and the Kool and Van Duyn patent. Here it issuiiicient to say that the oscillation of frame I4 about shaft II causesthe cumulative rotation of the feed wheels to advance the superposedportion of binder upon and-past the lower portion to effect thetensioning of the binder about the package. The oscillations of theframe I4 are effected by manipulating a handle I5 which is pivotallyconnected to frame I4 by a pivot I8. Handle I5 is, during the stretchingor tensioning operation, retained rigidly in alignment with frame It sothat the oscillating frame moves in unison with and, in effect, forms apart of the handle, as indicated by the full and dotted positions shownin Fig. 1. Thus the oscillations of the handle between the dotted andfull line positions shown in Fig. 1 causes actuating pawl a to rotatethe ratchet and. feed wheels in a clockwise direction-the rotation ofthe wheels and consequently the advance or feed of the upper strapporticn being cumulative because of the retaining effect of holding pawlc.

The sealing or joint forming mechanism in- .cludes a pair of jaw levers20 which, intermediate their ends, are pivotally mounted uponoscillating frame I4 by a pivot bolt 2|. A pair of links 22 arepivotally connected respectively at one end to the upper ends of jawlevers 20 while the other ends are connected to a sliding block 23 by apin 24. Block 23 is mounted to slide upon oscillating frame i4 and isconnected to handle I5 by a link 25. A disconnectible clutch (thedetails of which are most clearly shown in Fig. 7) serves to hold handleI5 in alignment with frame I4 until the sealing mechanism is moved intooperative position over the binder and then the additional force toeffect joint or seal formation is exerted upon the handle. Under suchconditions the clutch permits handle I5 to pivot upon its pivot I6, asshown by the dot-dash lines of Fig. 1, whereupon the sliding block andlinkage heretofore mentioned causes jaw levers 2li to pivot about bolt2I to bring the lower ends of the jaws together as shown most clearly inFig. 3. Fig. 2 shows the sealing mechanism positioned over the binderbut with the jaws open.

The specific structure of this detachable clutch between handle I5 andauxiliary oscillatable frame I4 forms no part of the present inventionand may be varied as desired. For the purpose of this disclosure I havechosen -to show the clutch illustrated and described in my aforesaidPatent No. 1,905,052. As shown most clearly in Fig. 7, the forward endof handle I5 is formed with furcations 25 through which pivot pin I6passes. The furcations 25' are provided with spring pressed plungers 26which are adapted to enter recesses 21 in the opposite side faces of aboss 28 of frame I4 when the same align. As long as the ends of theplungers are in recesses 21, the handle and frame I4 are held rigidly inalignment and move together. Such is the relationship during thetensioning operation. When however, the auxiliary frame I4 is preventedfrom moving, as when the stops d and e engage when the auxiliary frameis moved to bring the sealing jaws into active relationship on oppositesides cf the binder, then further movement of handle binder.

is in a clockwise direction, 'as viewed in Fig. 1.v

causes the spring pressed plungers to be released, disconnecting theclutch and permitting tbe handle to fulcrum about pivot I6, as shown bythe dot-dash lines of Fig. 1, to carry out the sealing or joint-formingoperation and to score or cut the band, as will be hereinafterdescribed.

Briefly, the operation of the mechanism thus far described is asfollows:

'I'he tool is set upon the package and the encircling binder loopedabout the package. The overlapping binder portions are inserted betweenfoot 1 and feed wheels I2 and handle I3 is rocked to bring the feedwheels tightly down upon the upper strap portion. Now to tension thebinder handle I5 is oscillated to rotate the feed wheels and therebyforce the upper strap portion past the lower portion which is heldstationary by foot 1. This operation continues until the cumulation ofstrap movements eiects the desired tension in the loop of binderencircling the package. When the desired tension has been producedhandle I5 is moved to the position shown by the dotted lines of Fig. 1which carries the sealing mechanism into operative position with thedeforming faces of the jaws on opposite sides of the Stops d and e onthe oscillating and main frame respectively prevent the jaws from beingfurther moved in the vertical plane about shaft i I, but additionalpressure upon the handle to the left or in a counterclockwise directioncauses the clutch between the handle and oscillating frame I4 to becomedisengaged as heretofore described, whereupon handle I5 then pivotsabout its connection I6 (as indicated by the dot- ,dash lines of Fig. 1)causing the block 23 to move down its slide on frame I4 and, throughlinks 22 rock the jaws about common pivot 2I to bring the working facesof the jaws together and deform the overlapping binder portions into asealjoint.

The binder scoring or partial severing mechanism comprises a cutterblade 30 which is oscillatably mounted upon a sleeve 3I. Sleeve 3l iseccentrically journaled upon a pivot screw' 32. This eccentric mountingof the cutter blade affords adjustment for varying the depth of cut.Pivot screw 32 threads into and is canied by a plate 33. This plate iscarried by the jaw pivot bolt 2I and is prevented from rotatingthereabout by a pin 34 which extends through an opening in the plateinto a socket 35 in the stationary anvil or chair 36 of the sealingmechanism. The upper end of blade 30 is provided with a slot 31 whichreceives one of the pivot pins 38 employed to connect one of the links22 to one of the jaw levers 20. The cutting edge of blade 30 may beprovided with serrations or teeth 39 to facilitate its action upon thebinder.

In operation the final or sealing stage of movement of handle I5 (i. e.,about pivot I6 to bring the jaws together) causes the connection betweenlink 22 and blade 30 to move the cutter blade transversely across thebinder from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig.3. The effective length of the blade from its pivot to curved cuttingedge is preferably adjusted so that the upper binder portion only isengaged and even that portion is only scored or partially severed.. Inthe cutting operation the forward wall I0 of the foot acts to hold thebinder to the blade. After the joint is completed and the scoring of thebinder accomplished handle I5 is returned toward the right to its normalposiamarre tion, as shown by the full lines of Fig. 1, carrying with itthe sealing and cutting mechanism.

Now, byactuating handle il to separate the feed wheels from thestationary toot, the `tool is released from the binder and may beremoved. Either before or after the tool is removed the free end orupper portion of the binder may be easily and quickly completely severedby bending it at the score or cut made by the cutter blade. I believe itis ordinarily the' better practice to adjust the blade, by means ofitspreviously described eccentric mounting, so that it only scores orpartially severs the free end of the binder rather than completelysevering it. The reason is that the operator, ii the binder is beingtaken from a reel or other indeterminate source of supply, is compelledto grasp the binder between the joint and the `source in order to bendit to eii'ect complete severance. In this way V the end oi' the binderfor the next package is held by the operator ready for use, it isunnecessary for him to find the end preparatory to binding the nextpackage and -time and )effort are saved thereby. Oi' course, if desired,the adjustment may be suchthat the bladefcompletely cuts through andsevers the free end or top binder portion. t

With this cutting or scoring mechanism the binder is automaticallyprepared ior ready separation, when separation is desired,simultaneously with an essential operation of the tool. And the place oiseparation is uniformly where waste is avoided. Ii only partialseparation or scoring is initially desiredthe final complete 'separationmay be subsequently eiiected with ease 'and speed. 'I'he upper edges oithe severed ends of the binders are cut, preierablyrat a bevel so thatthe burrs and roughness incident to complete severance bybendingareavoided. t

Having thus illustrated and described the nature and one embodiment ofmy invention, what I claim and desire to secure by United States lettersPatent is as follows:

1. A package banding tool' comprising a frame i5 for resting on apackage to be bound, a binder tensioning mechanism carried by the frameand operable upon overlapping portions of binder to eii'ect relativemovement therebetween to exert a pull upon the loop of binder encirclingthe .3o package, sealing mechanism carried by the frame' t and fordeforming the overlapping portions of binder to form a seal-Jointtherein, a single handle operable selectively to actuate the tensioningmechanism and to move the sealing 55 mechanism into cooperativerelationship with the binder and there actuate the same to form thelship the sealing mechanism may act upon overlapping portions ofthebinder to deform the 0 same into a seal-joint therebetween, a singlehandle operable selectively to actuate the tensioning mechanism and alsoto actuate the sealing mechanism, ilrst to move the latter to operativeposition and coactive relationship relative to the binder and then todeform overlapping portions of the binder to produce a seal-jointtherebetween, and a cutter carried by the sealing mechanism to be movedthereby into cutting relation to the binder when the sealing mechanismis moved to operative position and then to cut the upper only of theoverlapping binder portions beyond the joint.

3. A package banding tool comprising mechanism for tensioning a flexiblebinder about a package, sealing mechanism for producing a joint betweenoverlapping portions of the binder, a single handle for actuating boththe tensioning and sealing mechanisms, operative connections between thehandle and sealing mechanism permitting movement of the handle to bringthe sealt ing mechanism into and out of an eiective relationship withthe binder, other operative connections between the handle and sealingmechanism active only when the sealing mechanism has been moved intoeiective relationship with the binder to permit movement of the handleto actuate the sealing mechanism to produce a joint in the binder, abinder cutter carried by the sealing vmechanism into eiectiverelationship to the binder when the sealing mechanism is moved intolsuch relationship, and operative connections between the handle andcutter to actuate the cutter by the handle.

4. A'package binding tool comprising a frame, binder tensioningmechanism carried by the frame, joint producing mechanism, means movablymounting the joint producing mechanism on the frame to enable the jointproducing mechanism to be moved bodily toward and to a position-adjacent the binder where its subsequent actuation can producea jointin the binder and away from and to a position relatively remote `fromthe binder where it is out of the way during the tensioning operation. asingle operating handle, operative connections between the handle andand to actuate the same to cause it to produce a joint, a binder cuttercarried by the joint producing mechanism and movable with it topositions .adjacent 4toand remote from the binder, and

operative connections between Vthe handle and cutter to enable thehandle to actuate the cutter to cut the binder beyond .the joint.

5. A package banding tool comprising a frame for resting on a package,band tensioning mechahnism carried by the frame, a handle pivoted to theframe, means carried by the handle for actuating the tensioningmechanism, joint forming mechanism carriedby the handle. and bodilymovable by it to positions adjacent to and remote from the binder,operative connections between the handle and the joint forming mechanismto enable the handle to` actuate the joint forming mechanism when thesame `has been moved adjacent the binder, a binder cutter movable withthe handle to positionsadjacent to and remote from the binder, andoperative connections between the handle and the cutter to enable thehandle to actuate the cutter when the same has i been moved adjacent thebinder.

HOWARD C. PORTER.

